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Spain To Deploy Drones Not Far From Morocco

Spain will deploy air force MQ-9 Predator drones in the Canary Islands near Morocco’s borders in September. They will carry out missions to control migratory flows and monitor territorial waters.

The Predator drones will be deployed in September at the Lanzarote military base, near Fuerteventura, near the Moroccan coast, and very close to the Sahara. According to the Air Force, the Predators will participate in Exercise Sirio 22, the Air Force’s largest annual exercise, in October. It aims to train and evaluate the air service system in Spain, the Balearic Islands, and the Canary Islands, El Confidencial reports.

The air defense of the Canary Islands is one of the sensitive points in the deployment of the armed forces on Spanish territory. A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the purchase of 20 Eurofighter combat aircraft. These fighters will replace the Air Force F-18s acquired second-hand from the United States.

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The rearmament of Morocco pushed Spain to reinforce its army. Morocco has American F-16 fighters, superior to the F-18. The Predator was first used in Spain on June 29, the first day of the NATO summit held in Madrid. The Predator drones will be dedicated to border surveillance, the fight against drug trafficking, illegal immigration, and the control of Spanish territorial waters around the Strait of Gibraltar.

The Predator drones will participate in the “Sirio 22” exercise, after their participation in the previous edition of these maneuvers.

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